Malick Diouf

Aston Villa held 2-2 by Brentford as Kristoffer Ajer snatches late equaliser at Villa Park

Brentford earned a 2-2 draw at Villa Park on 10 October 2026 as Kristoffer Ajer cancelled out John McGinn’s 77th-minute lead, maintaining the Bees’ unbeaten Premier League start while extending Aston Villa’s home winless run.

A club-by-club verdict on the 2026 Premier League summer transfer window: Arsenal landed Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimarães and Ezri Konsa but failed to sign a marquee attacker; Aston Villa banked about £300m from nine sales in a radical squad rebuild; Chelsea made Xabi Alonso's first window count with the £117m capture of Morgan Rogers; and the business of Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Coventry is also assessed.

Senegal and former Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy has confirmed his international retirement at the age of 34, insisting that lifting the Africa Cup of Nations was '10 times better' than winning the Champions League. In a wide-ranging interview, Mendy revisits his stoppage-time penalty save against Brahim Díaz in the contested 2025 final, the disputed walk-off that saw Morocco later awarded a 3-0 win, the Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal, his rejection of Patrick Vieira's pleas to return, and a Yashin Trophy nomination after a trophy-laden year with Al-Ahli.

The Guardian’s club-by-club assessment of the summer 2026 window finds Arsenal frustrated in the attack market, Aston Villa executing a £300m squad refresh, Bournemouth keeping core talent, Brentford adding stability, Brighton banking big profits, and Chelsea beginning a new era under Xabi Alonso with major incomings and outgoings.